Second Trimester Abortion - 12 to 23 weeks

If you are from between 12 to 23 wks of pregnancy, the procedure may take about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy and if there are any complications with your pregnancy. This procedure may take up to 2 days.

Day 1: One laminaria is inserted into the cervix. After it has been placed in the cervix, the laminaria expands overnight and dilates the cervix for 24 hours in a gentle, natural manner that reduces pain during the procedure and reduces the risk of uterine perforation.

Day 2: The patient returns to the clinic for the procedure. The laminaria is removed, and local anesthesia is placed in the cervix in order to minimize pain. The fetus and placenta are removed from the uterus with medical instruments such as forceps and suction curettage.

Postoperative Care

Following the procedure, the patient is observed in the recovery room for a period of up to an hour in order to observe for evidence of any complications. During this time, her blood pressure and pulse as well as other aspects of physical evaluation will be monitored by expert recovery room nurses. She will receive information concerning aftercare and her follow-up examination.